Improvement in barrels



U NrTED STATES PATENT CEEICE ROBERT W. BAYLOR, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BARRELs.

Specification forming part 'of Letters Patent No. 158,777, dated January 19, 1875; application iiled June 27, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RoBERT W. BAYLOR, of the city and county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain Improvements in Barrels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and the letters of reference marked thereon, making part of this specication, in whichl Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a topplan view of the staves when extended. Fig. 3 is a top-plan view -of the head. Fig. 4 is a modiiication of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is another form of construction of head. Fig. 6 is an end view of one mode of forming the staves.

The object of my invention is the construction of a barrel, keg, or box by a simple, cheap, and durable means, and which, when empty, can be so extended as to occupy very little room in transportation.

The nature of my invention consists in forming the staves in the ordinary manner, with the exception that they are straight, or not curved, and then connecting them by metal clasps, said clasps being first passed through bands and then inserted in holes bored through the stavesand clinched; or the same object may be accomplished by the equivalent means of passing acontinuous band of metal around the barrel and riveting each stave thereto. By this means the staves are, as it were, hinged to each other, so that they may be laid out hat when desired for transportation when empty.

The construction Vand operation of my invention are as follows:

A A are the staves, which are of the ordinary form, With the exception that, instead of being bulged, they are straight. The interior of these staves is straight; or, it' desired, they may be so scooped out as to be parallel with the exterior surface of the same, and are provided with grooves at both their top and bottom chines. The exterior is slightly curved, so that when the staves are connected a round barrel is produced. Both edges of these staves are beveled oft', so that when the barrel is put together the beveled edge of one stave joins the beveled edge of the next adjoining stave. B B are bands which lit over the top and bottom of each stave. These bands may be placed either on the outside or inside of the barrel, and are provided with holes at each end, said holes registering with the holes bored through the staves, through which pass the legs ofthe met-al clasps.

Instead of using these short bands a continuous band, B', made of hoop-iron or other suitable material, may be used, extending around the barrel, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and fastened by means of metal-clasps C' C', and in which case the staves are riveted to the band B', the metal clasps O C being dispensed with, the band-connection of the staves acting as a hinge-joint when the barrel is put up or lengthened out. (l C are metal clasps, made of any suitable material, and so bent at their ends as to form, as it Were, legs. These legs are passed through the holes in the band B, and the holes in the staves A, and so clinched that while they prevent the barrel from coming apart when it is set up, still at the same time, when the headsare takenout, and the clasps connecting any two of the staves are removed, the staves will lie down hat, and thus occupy very little room in transportation. This is one of the great advantages of my invention, since, in conveying truck Jfrom tbe gardens to the markets, as at present, the barrel or keg cannot be returned when empty on account of its bulkiness. With my invention, after the truck is removed, the barrel can be extended, and a number of barrels will occupy but little space.

The head of the barrel is composed of three parts. The two outside sections D D' are counterparts of each other, having one straight edge, d, the other edge, d', being made to conform to the shape of the barrel, being either round, square, or otherwise, as required. The center-piece or key F is made thicker than the sections D D', and is formed with grooves a, a in each-edge. In these grooves iit the edges cln d' of the sections D D'. This key F is also made tapering in form, so that When the sections DD' are placed in position, and the key F is driven in, the sections are forced into the grooves cut in the chine of the barrel. When it is desired to open the barrel the key F is driven out, when the sections D D' are easily removed.

In Fig. 5 is shown another Eormof head. 'Io

the under side o f each section D D is attached a strip of wood, x, which is beveled at the end next the key. This bevel, in connection with the sections D D', forms grooves x', in which the key F is driven, and in which case the grooves a a in the key are dispensed with.

I desire it understood that I do not Wish to contne myself to the particular form of staves mentioned above, as they may be recessed, as shown in Fig. 6, instead of beveled, or constructed in any other suitable manner that will answer the purposes desired to be accomplished.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-v 1. A barrel-cylinder composed of straight R. W. BAYLOR. Witnesses:

EDWIN J AMES, J os. T. K. PLANT. 

